1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of outdoor advertising using an informational or decorative graphic article. More particularly, the present invention relates to an outdoor display, information, or advertising system comprising a multi-layer graphic article that is applied to an outdoor surface such as concrete, asphalt and the like. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an outdoor advertising system including an imageable base layer and a frictionally modified surface layer that can be laminated to the base layer following imaging of the base layer to protect the image.
2. Description of Related Art
To convey an informational message to a viewer, or simply to decorate a surface, a myriad of graphic articles are available for application to a wide variety of substrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,532 to Ho et al. describes a multilayer decorative graphic article intended for application to a surface, such as a motor vehicle body, marine craft hull, snowmobile body, vertical sign face, or the like. The graphic article described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,532 patent to Ho comprises a substrate, at least one color layer disposed on the substrate, and a xe2x80x9cclearxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctransparentxe2x80x9d protective surface layer that overlies the substrate and the color layer. The Ho patent teaches that the color layer, which can be continuous or discontinuous, is visible through the protective surface layer. The protective layer described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,532 patent can be formulated to provide the graphic article with interior surface protection properties, such as resistance to scuffing and chemical attack from indoor cleaning solutions, cosmetics, food and the like. In the alternative, the Ho reference discloses that the protective layer can be formulated to render the graphic article weatherable and resistant to exposure to harsh chemicals such as motor fuel. While extremely versatile, the un-textured protective surface films described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,532 would not be expected to have the skid resistance necessary for use in an advertising article that is to be applied to a horizontal surface with pedestrian traffic. In addition, the Ho patent does not contemplate a display system that would be imageable and readily changeable by the advertiser.
The decorative polymeric layer materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,922 to Shortway et al., which are intended for use as floor, wall or ceiling coverings, includes a base layer with either an embossed or a smooth surface. The base layer, typically a fibrous backing layer, is printed on one surface with a multi-colored pattern or design. Overlying the design on the base layer is a wear layer, which can have a relatively smooth surface, or a surface embossed in selected areas to provide texture or effect. Again, while extremely versatile, the coverings described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,922 patent to Shortway would not be expected to have the necessary anti-skid properties necessary for outdoor applications. In addition, the polymeric layer components described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,922 patent would not be expected to be readily removable from an outdoor surface to provide an advertising article that can be easily changed by the advertiser.
To reach potential purchasers with outdoor advertising, advertisers have traditionally used print media and television commercials to disseminate information about new produces, product features, and prices. These xe2x80x9ctraditionalxe2x80x9d forms of advertising, while highly effective, reach the customer a significant distance from the point of product purchase. In recent years advertisers have sought to reach potential customers for their products in many innovative ways, moving ever closer to the point of purchase in an attempt to positively influence the purchase decision and take advantage of the advertiser""s brand identity. One non-traditional advertising approach that has enjoyed success in recent years i the xe2x80x9cfloor graphic,xe2x80x9d a multi-layer informational graphic article with an non-uniform uppermost surface intended for horizontal application for a quite short duration on an exposed area of a floor. While the application of graphics via adhesive to areas of foot traffic is quite old, use of such graphics for brand advertisement is becoming very accepted because of the beauty of the image in the graphic. Floor graphics, such as those sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) of St. Paul, Minn., USA under the trade designation xe2x80x9cFloorMindersxe2x80x9d graphics, are intended for indoor branding or other informational application to areas of the floor in supermarkets, department stores, lobbies, convenience stores and the like. These graphic articles are not applied to the floor to make it more durable. Rather, these graphic articles are applied to the floor in an area near an advertiser""s product on the shelf or aisle, near points of purchase where marketing surveys indicate a significant percentage of purchase decisions are made by the buyer. The graphic articles are multi-layer film constructions comprising tow principle components: an imageable base film, which can be clear or colored, an image layer applied to the base film, and protective top film that overlies the base film and the image layer. The base film, which can be cut to a suitable shape or size, includes on a first surface a base film adhesive to adhere the graphic article to the indoor floor surface. On a second surface, the base film includes a highly detailed image layer produced by a suitable method such as, for example, electrostatic printing or screen printing. To protect the image on the base film from foot traffic because the image can not become obscured or damaged to assure continued good brand recognition, a substantially clear protective layer with a non-uniform upper surface is applied over the image layer and the base film. The protective layer typically includes a substantially clear pressure sensitive adhesive to adhere to the image layer and/or the base film.
In view of the demonstrated success of floor graphic articles, it is desired to use them not only indoors near the advertised product, but also outdoors on horizontal surfaces such as sidewalks, parking lots, and the like, to entice the potential customer into the place of business where the advertised products are sold. However, the multi-layer laminates previously used for indoor floor grpahics have not proved suitable for outdoor use on surfaces intended for foot traffic. First, to ensure that the graphic article is suitable for use on outdoor surfaces subject to foot traffic, the protective layer must not only be formulated to be weatherable in an outdoor environment, but must also maintain sufficient skid resistance to allow persons to safely walk over the graphic article without loss of footing.
To modify the frictional properties of an exposed, upper surface of a clear, image-protecting film, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,274 to Tarbutton et al. describes a transparent friction surface sheet intended for application to a skateboard or similarly smooth surface with an ornamental design. The friction surface layer in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,274 patent includes a substantially clear film with transparent glass particles no larger than 10 Tyler mesh embedded in a binder on an exposed surface of the film. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,274 patent notes that the glass particles on the exposed surface of the layer can be applied to permit visual observation of an underlying decorative design such as, for example, an ornamental design on the surface of a skateboard, with little or no distortion. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,274 patent also suggests that a surface of the sheet can be imprinted with a design, message or other indicia.
There is a need in the art for a display or advertising system that has a separate imageable film layer and a protective layer specifically adapted for use in outdoor applications subject to foot traffic. Such a separate layer of imageable material can be imaged by the consumer with conventional, commonly available printing equipment. The desired two component system would also be easily assembled by the consumer with conventional laminating equipment, and could be readily modified as dictated by the consumers""s ever-changing advertising needs.
In one aspect, the present invention is a multilayer graphic article specifically adapted for outdoor advertising applications. The graphic article of the invention, which is preferably applied to a horizontal surface where pedestrian traffic is expected, comprises an imageable base layer and an image-protective layer. The imageable base layer has applied to its first major surface a layer of an adhesive that is removable from an outdoor surface without leaving substantial residue on the outdoor surface. An image layer is applied to a second major surface of the base layer by screen printing, electrostatic printing, thermal ink jet printing and the like. The image-protective surface layer includes pressure sensitive adhesive layer on a first major surface to adhere to the image layer and/or the base layer. On a second major surface, the frictional properties of the image-protective surface layer are modified by embossing or incorporation of abrasive materials in a pattern which provides skid resistance for pedestrian traffic but does not substantially obscure the informational impact of the underlying image layer. To create a graphic article, the first major surface of the image-protective surface layer can be laminated to the image layer on the base film and/or the base film itself. The graphic article can then be releasably adhered to an outdoor surface using the adhesive applied to the first major surface of the base layer.
In another aspect, the present invention is an outdoor advertising system including the multi-layer decorative or informational graphic article described above. The graphic article used in the advertising system of the invention includes two principal components: an imageable polymeric base film and a substantially clear image-protective polymeric surface film, preferably with a frictionally modified exposed surface.
The base film includes a first major surface having applied thereon an adhesive layer appropriate to adhere the graphic article to an outdoor surface. The adhesive in this layer is selected to allow removal of the graphic article form the outdoor surface while leaving behind substantially no adhesive residue on the surface. This adhesive layer is preferably covered with a readily removable release liner to protect the adhesive. A second major surface of the base film is suitable for application of layers of colors to form thereon a printed image layer. The second major surface of the base film can be digitally imaged by the purchaser, who can print nay custom advertising message thereon by any conventional printing method on commonly available printing equipment.
The image-protective surface film includes a fist major surface having applied thereon a layer of a substantially clear adhesive, preferably protected by a readily removable release line. If pedestrian traffic is expected over the article, a second major surface of the image-protective layer is frictionally modified by embossing, roughening, or adhering abrasive particles. The frictional modification of the second major surface of the image-protective layer is preferably performed in a patterned fashion that does not unnecessarily obscure the underlying image layer on the base film.
To create a display or advertise outdoors using the advertising system of the present invention, the second major surface of the base film is imaged by screen printing, electrostatic printing or the like using conventional equipment to form an image layer thereon. Next, the release liner is removed from the first major surface of the image-protective layer to expose the pressure sensitive adhesive. The image-protective layer can ten be laminated to the image layer of the base film by any conventional method. The release liner is then removed from the second major surface of the base film and the base film is adhered to an outdoor surface such as a sidewalk or a parking lot to create an outdoor advertisement or display. In the alternative, the base film can first be adhered to the outdoor surface, and the image-protective film applied thereto to form the advertisement.
The advertising system of the present invention can be provided as a multi-component kit including the base film and the image-protective film described above, or can be supplied as individual components. This multi-component construction allows the advertising graphics of the present invention to be prepared outside of the factory environment, for example, at a local print shop.
The advertising system of the present invention makes possible the application of outdoor floor graphics with excellent advertising impact. These advertising graphics are skid resistant to enhance safety for the shopper or pedestrian, and are readily removable to provide continuously updateable advertising messages. The graphics of the advertising system of the present invention can be readily prepared by any print shop with laminating and printing capabilities.
A feature of the invention is a non-uniform uppermost surface to contact foot traffic to provide sufficient skid-resistance without compromising the image quality of the graphic beneath that surface. For example, as one walks toward the image graphic adhered to a sidewalk, one is able to see the underlying image without appreciable distortion.
An advantage of the invention is a modular construction of the advertising system such that the graphic can be printed centrally and distributed unlaminated or be printed remotely and laminated on site.